Washington, D.C. – The Hope Diamond, one of the world’s most famous jewels, sits today in the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., surrounded by tales of misfortune that have followed its owners for centuries. From royal courts to American high society, the gem’s glittering beauty has long been shadowed by a reputation for tragedy.
According to historical accounts, the 45.52-carat blue diamond is believed to have originated in India as part of a sacred idol’s eye before being stolen and sold to French merchant Jean-Baptiste Tavernier. Over the centuries, it allegedly passed through the hands of Louis XIV, whose descendants met grim fates, and later Henry Thomas Hope, who gave the diamond its current name.
Its most notorious American owner, Colorado heiress Evalyn Walsh McLean, purchased the diamond in 1911 after first seeing it in Turkey. McLean, married to Washington Post heir Ned McLean, publicly dismissed the curse yet endured a series of personal tragedies. Her young son died in a car accident, her daughter took her own life, her husband was declared insane after public scandals, and her family’s fortune crumbled.
The diamond’s notoriety extended to friends of the McLeans, including President Warren G. Harding, whose administration became mired in scandal before his sudden death in 1923.
After McLean’s death in 1947, New York jeweler Harry Winston acquired the diamond and donated it to the Smithsonian in 1958. Reports at the time claimed even its delivery was touched by misfortune — a mail carrier’s leg was crushed after dropping it off, followed by other personal tragedies.
While skeptics dismiss the curse as superstition, the Hope Diamond’s history remains a potent mix of fact, coincidence, and myth — and continues to intrigue visitors who can’t resist peering at its deep blue sparkle behind glass.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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